This agreement allows Zoo Publishing the ability to re-release previous Empire titles, to port previously released games to new platforms, and to create new gaming content from existing Empire intellectual property.
Founded in 1987 in the UK, Empire was a developer and publisher of video games across a number of platforms including NDS, Wii, Xbox 360, PS2, PSP, and PC titles in the UK, Europe and United States. The company developed many titles including Pipe Mania, Big Mutha Truckers, Flatout Ultimate Carnage, and Flatout Head On which won the PSP Office Guidebook Gold Award last year.
“I am incredibly excited about the prospects of remaking some of the Empire IP, bringing others online, and generating revenue from the current titles,” says Mark Seremet, CEO of Zoo Games, Inc. “Empire distributed my first company's software in the EU back in the 1980s and while I'm sad to see this economic environment take its toll on Empire, I'm grateful for the opportunity to partner with New World IP to continue the company's franchises.”
Earlier this week, KPMG Restructuring was appointed as Administrators of Empire. Empire, a London-based publisher, ceased trading after the appointment, and several staff members have be retained to assist KPMG with the wind down of business. Empire's intellectual property rights have been sold to New World IP, LLC, which is based in the US. New World IP, LLC has licensed the intellectual property rights, on an exclusive basis, to Zoo Publishing, Inc.